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I wonder ....

• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - American Women 2

In an earlier post I mentioned American women being overwhelmed. I got some interesting feedback. I wanted to explain a few things though ... I should have been more specific with my thoughts.
I know one mom who stays at home with her 3 children, gets up early enough to cook and clean before her children rise. She also works from home to help make ends meet, home schools and does what ever she can to fill the Biblical role of wife & mother. She does not get involved with every ministry under the sun because her family is her ministry right now. She does go to one sporting even during the week. Why is it that she is over whelmed? Is it because she's bought in to the lies? I don't think so. I truly believe it's because she has no help. There is no tribe to take on some of her responsibility. The servants back in the Bible days were there for a reason .... what was it? The tribes were family, yes ...... but they each served in a role that would benefit the rest of the tribe.
It's not always possible to have your *tribe* living with or even near you. In those circumstances, what's that overwhelmed mother to do? Hopefully she'll have a neighbor that will reach out to her .... some one that can be a stand-in tribe member .... some one that will lift her up, encourage her and grab a dust cloth as she starts her cleaning dance.

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• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Stressed and Discontented?

Posted by jackiebridgen

I have to say (and this conversation has been had a week or two back with a few ladies, some of whom are on hsb) that some of the discontent comes from browsing these very blogs.
You pick out one with ten children, one with the best homeschool, one with the most productive little farm, one who sews her entire family's clothing needs, one who grows all her family's food and only feeds them nutritious, organic, fermented ... you get the picture ... and then you settle down to feel aggrieved you can't do it all. And you wish you had a tribe and a few servants (I agree with Sister Lori, the servant women didn't have it so good.)
You know what? God did not call us all to do it all. One must listen for His voice in all of this, and He will lead the way. What is important that each of us achieve, is individual. I have had to learn this the hard way.
We should support, but not exhort one another in these things. My obedience in growing and canning a large garden, might be someone else's disobedience, whom He has given work elsewhere.
We need to bloom where we are planted. Trust and Obey!
I love HSB, and many of my fellow bloggers, but we must guard against this whole business becoming a hotbed of discontent, envy and competitiveness. However the women of the Bible got along, I'm guessing they just got on with it. They didn't give a daily broadcast suggesting everyone else did it the same way LOL.
It's my Post Resurrection Resolution (we do them after Easter, not at New Year!) to extend a special welcome to the godly mothers who work outside the home, who send their children to school, and/or who buy their clothes in Walmart - if that's where God is leading them! We can't and shouldn't all do it all. (UNLESS that's what He's told us to do!)

I hope this doesn't sound contentious, it's just my point of view, obviously.
Jackie

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• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by gokings13

I agree with what Jackie said! Well put!

I have found that in this time of my life, my children are my greatest help! I trained them from a young age and as teens......this training has paid off!

laura

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• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by glenda

My children are my greatest help. But they also can be at times my biggest strain.. Now mind you i love them dearly and I would not ever want to not have them.. I am so greatful that god gave them to me.. For me I live about 13 hours away from any family.. I am on my own.. It is just me and the children. When there dad moved out it was just me and them.. I would have never made it this far if it was not for God, and the children.. However with that being said there is and has been times when it would be nice to have someone to help me.. someone to talk to. Someone to cry with... now mind you since i have been able to blog again i have found this with women here on the site..
glenda

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• Monday, April 14, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by SisterLori

Blessings!
I suppose it's all in how one looks at it really. Each of us closing our eyes and reaching out to touch that elephant from where we stand.:)

As others have said, we cannot be all things to all people...only God can do that:) But I think it goes a bit deeper than that too. It's about contentment. Contentment is a choice not a place we are planted.

What I mean is, it's like asking God to fill us with joy. Joy is not a warm fuzzy feeling that God waves his hand and voila! JOY, joy is a choice. We can CHOOSE to feel unhappy and discontent or we can choose to find joy and contentment in what we do and how we live.

As for feeling alone, I do understand that part but that is what fellowship is for. Not just neighbors but those that we are supposed to worship God with. Encouraging one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

I agree with Sister Jackie, that we tend to fill ourselves with envy or admiration for what others are doing and create this checklist that doesn't exist anywhere else but in our own minds of what a godly woman is supposed to do and be.

The bible teaches us that each of us has a gift. It doesn't say each of us as ALL the gifts. Some of us have the gift of hospitality...this is definitely not MY gift. Not that I don't enjoy people but I get twisted in a knot if I have to suddenly entertain someone. It's different if it's a good friend that drops by with her children to say hey. It's the ones that someone suddenly invites over to their house for a bite or fellowship. I see it at church all the time. Having 7 children in tow and someone suddenly says, "Please come by for some lunch after worship service, we would love to have a visit." What? But there's 9 of us! Doesn't matter to them...we show up and the woman runs into the kitchen and in just about 20 minutes or so she escorts us all into her kitchen for a meal. She is thrilled we accepted, she enjoyed serving us and she is content to clean it all up afterward by herself. She says to me, when me and the girls try to help her..."It brought me such joy to have you with us today that these dishes remind me how fortunate I am that you accepted our invitation." Refusing any of us the chance to lighten her burden. She is truly joyful. She is truly excited and content.

We cannot be everything to everyone. But we must be something to someone. For me, I know that I am important to my family. I have raised my children to be my helpers and in so doing, have taught them to care for their own families one day. I am not a super mom or a perfect wife. I can only pray that God will give me opportunities to be the woman He created me to be.

And in this...I am content:)

God be with thee!
Sister Lori

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I wonder ....

• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - American Women 2

• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Stressed and Discontented?

• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment

• Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment

• Monday, April 14, 2008 - Untitled Comment

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